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Synths are plugins that use VST/VSTi interface. VSTi is the instrument/synth specifically.
(or Audio Unit, RTAS, Direct X, etc but for your system VST and DX are the most common)

Plugins are generally any program designed to run within a host program. In your audio workspace, these can be synths, effects, samplers, etc.

Make some beats, get familiar with fl, find some free synths and other plugins and play around with them. No need to worry about pads and keyboards now, i dont think you can make much more better tracks now with them. If you really need to play some notes with your hands, you can do it in piano roll in fl with normal computer keyboard.

Huts wrote:

Jux wrote: With that said, all you really need is a good DAW, some VST synths (NI Massive, Albino, Sylenth) and plugins (Izotope Ozone, Sausage Fattener, etc), and a decent midi keyboard to start with (I'd suggest at least three or four octaves, though you could get away with a two octave controller if you are on a serious budget). And all the equipment in the world can't give you what is most important...creativity.

The guy just started 2 days ago and you're recommending 700$+ worth of plugins and shit that are 100% NOT NEEDED. I also don't understand why every time a new person posts a thread and mentions the DAW they chose the next like 5 responses are people trying to offer up a different one lol. You got the demo of FL, it's a great DAW, easy to use, and has everything you need. Don't buy a midi keyboard, monitors, plugins or anything else until you understand why you need them and are willing to make the commitment. Get a pair of decent headphones (can get some for 100$ or less that have use outside of producing) and just start tinkering around. FL studio producer edition has everything you need and more, look no further than that until you feel limited by what you've got and want to expand

Ahem, there are other methods to gaining software for those who aren't as blessed as the rest of us as far as production / studio budgets go. I figured that wouldn't need to be said. And yeah, you can draw in everything, but I think having a keyboard is a lot more convenient that drawing stuff in on a piano roll. I was under the assumption he already kind of made a commitment to wanting to be an artist.

And I never offered up a different DAW, I just posted what MY opinions are on both FL and Ableton. It all comes down to preference as to which workflow suits which artist. I do believe I mentioned he should choose whichever he is most comfortable with.

-Jux

Jux wrote:

Huts wrote:

Jux wrote: With that said, all you really need is a good DAW, some VST synths (NI Massive, Albino, Sylenth) and plugins (Izotope Ozone, Sausage Fattener, etc), and a decent midi keyboard to start with (I'd suggest at least three or four octaves, though you could get away with a two octave controller if you are on a serious budget). And all the equipment in the world can't give you what is most important...creativity.

The guy just started 2 days ago and you're recommending 700$+ worth of plugins and shit that are 100% NOT NEEDED. I also don't understand why every time a new person posts a thread and mentions the DAW they chose the next like 5 responses are people trying to offer up a different one lol. You got the demo of FL, it's a great DAW, easy to use, and has everything you need. Don't buy a midi keyboard, monitors, plugins or anything else until you understand why you need them and are willing to make the commitment. Get a pair of decent headphones (can get some for 100$ or less that have use outside of producing) and just start tinkering around. FL studio producer edition has everything you need and more, look no further than that until you feel limited by what you've got and want to expand

Ahem, there are other methods to gaining software for those who aren't as blessed as the rest of us as far as production / studio budgets go. I figured that wouldn't need to be said. And yeah, you can draw in everything, but I think having a keyboard is a lot more convenient that drawing stuff in on a piano roll. I was under the assumption he already kind of made a commitment to wanting to be an artist.

And I never offered up a different DAW, I just posted what MY opinions are on both FL and Ableton. It all comes down to preference as to which workflow suits which artist. I do believe I mentioned he should choose whichever he is most comfortable with.

-Jux

theres also 100% free and legal options for those of us who value our morals

oops

OfficialDAPT wrote:oops

PRODUCE PRODUCE PRODUCE

OfficialDAPT wrote:

OfficialDAPT wrote:oops

HERE

Fixed

ehbrums1 wrote:

OfficialDAPT wrote:

OfficialDAPT wrote:oops

HERE

Fixed

hehe I thought I was previewing but I guess not

One warning, the pads on those midi controllers are generally garbage. They are unresponsive, you gonna mash the FK outta the thing. FPC is bomb map your keyboard to it. Don't forget Asio4All, I'm sure you'll run into some latency issues. If you bought all the software youd be spending hundreds if not thousands. Download the demos, theres a lot of demos and free programs.

I also gotta disagree with a lot of people here, I think the hardware lets you be more creative because you aren't restricted to clicking one thing at a time, you can multi link all those knobs and have a banging fun time making your own synths and stuff, plus linking samples to an MPC is bomb.

Does anyone know any real info on the Novation Launchpad? It's way more than just a sample trigger/loop trigger. The thing has all kinds of crazy modes it even works as a mixer, you can use it as a fader or a knob or a keyboard. It's as flexible as you want it to be or so I hear. I say just go get a cheap midi controller, if u want something cheap to jam on look up the AKai Synthstation 25. It's $40 cause it never really caught on, Akai is way better quality than M - Audio, and you can just use it as a midi controller without the iPod. So you basically just got an AkaiMPK25 for $40 minus the knobs, or you can spend $90 on the MPK Mini but the pads are garbage.

Just saying its a lot more fun to jam on some cheap equipment. What if he doesn't like clicking buttons for hours and hours? With an Akai Synthstation25/MPD8 he can just put loop mode and jam out drum beats on the pads, lay down some chords and melodies on the keyboard, and modulate the cutoff or whatever other knobs he wants with all those midi knobs. Way more fun to jam out live than just clicking random midi notes in the program, hitting play, changing it, hitting play, changing it again.... Boring.

That's why a lot of people are jumping on ableton because it's a lot more creative with the launchpad, etc. You can actually have fun and be creative with it, not that I'm advocating making songs out of 100% samples like I suspect 90% of ableton users are doing these days...

Someone posted that moog is giving away the MiniMoog V Virtual Synth away for free def snag that it's a classic and fun to start with.

Let me link you to a bomb launchpad video, I think they have a launchpad mini too.

how much hardware do you need? none. youll have nothing to do with hardware until you are really comfortable with your daw and can use the hardware to the fullest. maybe get an oxygen 8 keyboard of craigslist for like 30 bucks. you can program everything, you dont need any kind of hardware, but it is nice to have a few knobs on some type of hardware for automations. as for vsts, massive is all you need if thats what you want to get. a plug in is any software that "plugs in" to your daw. massive is a plug in. anything you download that does not come with the daw itself is a plug in. i cant stress enough how un-important hardware is, some of the biggest names make all their tunes with just one tiny keyboard. the most important part of any setup will always be the monitors, but even monitors are unimportant until about 4-5 months in to learning your daw. once you start coming up with finished works that you feel are good enough to get mastered, thats when you get good monitors. this is so you can accurately mixdown your song to make it sound professional. the only piece of hardware thats important for a 3-5 months (depending on how fast you learn), is yourself. If you dont dedicate yourself to producing you wont get anywhere with it. If you plan to make music thats focus is sub bass, you need a decent pair of headphones or speakers that can cover the low frequencies. I recommend ath-m50's because right now they are only 100 dollars. gl man dont get too concerned with gear, itll side track you from whats really important.

Jux wrote:
Ahem, there are other methods to gaining software for those who aren't as blessed as the rest of us as far as production / studio budgets go.

that was a rather sad thing to read, ill refrain from ranting and going into why as im sure it's pretty obvious.

@OP massive may be on sale, but the money spent would be better used on some headphones/monitors/soundcard. FL studio comes equipped with great synths (i wish i could have 3xosc in logic), and there is a ton of freeware if you want to branch out a bit. no need to go out and get massive because 'everyones got it' and yada yada

Huts wrote:

Jux wrote:
Ahem, there are other methods to gaining software for those who aren't as blessed as the rest of us as far as production / studio budgets go.

that was a rather sad thing to read, ill refrain from ranting and going into why as im sure it's pretty obvious.

This is what I mean by jamming out beats live and having fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJnFzhzQ ... re=related

If you ask me this makes the step sequencer obsolete.

Agree on massive its way too overused and I can almost always tell, it's getting pretty lame.

if you want to save your money, get tyrell n6 and your set forever. its freeware and its awesome

Immerse wrote:if you want to save your money, get tyrell n6 and your set forever. its freeware and its awesome

This. That thing is one of the most basic subtractive synths I've seen but thats all you need to get fat sounds. If you want bombbbbb sounds, figure out how to load effects into the mixer, it's all about adding FX like chorus, EQ, compression, reverb, overdrive. Grossbeat is bomb. Wish someone told me that 4-5 years ago.

chopsui wrote:One warning, the pads on those midi controllers are generally garbage. They are unresponsive, you gonna mash the FK outta the thing. .

That's true, even though the Akai controllers use the MPC pads, the responsiveness isn't near as good. I'd suggest replacing them with something from www.mpcstuff.com or doing the double-sided tape DIY fix. There's also these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pad-Sensitivity ... 885wt_1270
I have those installed right now in one of my MPDs and it makes a HUGE difference. I can trigger the pads with my breath now haha.

chopsui wrote:... if u want something cheap to jam on look up the AKai Synthstation 25. It's $40 cause it never really caught on, Akai is way better quality than M - Audio, and you can just use it as a midi controller without the iPod. So you basically just got an AkaiMPK25 for $40 minus the knobs, or you can spend $90 on the MPK Mini but the pads are garbage.

Knobs are more useful than pads imo

Huts wrote:

Jux wrote:
Ahem, there are other methods to gaining software for those who aren't as blessed as the rest of us as far as production / studio budgets go.

that was a rather sad thing to read, ill refrain from ranting and going into why as im sure it's pretty obvious.

@OP massive may be on sale, but the money spent would be better used on some headphones/monitors/soundcard. FL studio comes equipped with great synths (i wish i could have 3xosc in logic), and there is a ton of freeware if you want to branch out a bit. no need to go out and get massive because 'everyones got it' and yada yada

If you read what I said properly, I never suggested it, I just mentioned its a plausibility. I work in a studio so I'm fortunate in what I have to work with, but honestly, most people who want to produce don't have the same fortune as I have, so i I think it is understandable if they obtain their software by the means that they have to. We're getting off topic though, anyways.

This wasn't supposed to turn into a pro-piracy / anti piracy debate. I don't want to cause conflict. I just wanted to help the kid out. Let's all be easy now.

i agree that knobs are way more useful than pads